Business Digest Radio

Colorado’s economy remains resilient, but businesses are increasingly contending with higher operating costs, regulatory complexity, housing affordability challenges and a slowing business environment.
On this edition of The Business Signal, Dirk Hobbs speaks with DJ Summers, Director of Communications and Research Operations for Common Sense Institute, about the organization’s latest assessment of Colorado’s economic performance.
The conversation examines how legislative and regulatory activity can affect the cost and confidence of doing business in Colorado, why housing affordability has become both a workforce and economic-development issue, and what indicators suggest business activity may be slowing.
Summers also discusses the broader question facing Colorado: how the state can preserve economic competitiveness while addressing legitimate public-policy priorities. The discussion provides business leaders with context behind the numbers—and a clearer understanding of the economic conditions influencing investment, hiring, expansion and workforce decisions across the state. 

What should a business education look like when the workplace students are preparing to enter is changing almost as quickly as the technology reshaping it?
On this edition of The Business Signal, Dirk Hobbs sits down with Dr. Bri Newland, Interim Dean of the UCCS College of Business, for a substantive discussion about higher education, workforce preparation and the increasingly important relationship between universities and the employers they serve.
The conversation examines how business education must remain relevant to a changing economy, the importance of connecting curriculum with real-world employer needs, and what students increasingly expect from their investment in a college degree.
Newland also discusses the College of Business’ role in developing talent for the regional economy, creating pathways for students and working professionals, and preparing graduates with the business, leadership and critical-thinking skills employers need.
The discussion goes beyond the classroom to consider a broader economic question: How can institutions such as UCCS help Southern Colorado develop, retain and continually strengthen the workforce required to compete for businesses, investment and emerging industries?
It’s a conversation about education as economic infrastructure—and why the relationship between business and higher education matters well beyond the university campus.

What happens when rapid population growth, economic development and preserving community character all converge in one place?
On this edition of The Business Signal, Dirk Hobbs sits down with Terri Hayes, President & CEO of the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Corporation and Visitor Center, for a closer look at the growing economic importance of northern El Paso County and the Tri-Lakes region.
The conversation explores the Chamber’s role in supporting local businesses, attracting and retaining employers, advocating for the business community and strengthening connections among Monument, Palmer Lake and the surrounding communities.
Hayes also discusses the evolution of the Tri-Lakes business environment, the importance of entrepreneurship and small business, and the challenge of managing growth while protecting many of the qualities that continue to make the region attractive to businesses, residents and visitors.
It’s a conversation about community, commerce and thoughtful economic development—and why what happens in Tri-Lakes increasingly matters to the broader Southern Colorado economy. 

What does the technology behind the color-changing mountains on a Coors Light can have to do with the future of cancer treatment?
Quite a bit, as it turns out.
On this edition of The Business Signal, Dirk Hobbs talks with Lyle Small, founder and CEO of Colorado Springs-based Lahjavida Bio, about an entrepreneurial and scientific journey that has taken Small from pioneering commercial color-changing inks to developing a new approach to precision cancer treatment.
Lahjavida is advancing dye-drug conjugate technology designed to more precisely deliver cancer-fighting therapeutics to tumors while reducing exposure to healthy tissue. Small explains the science behind the concept, the company’s preclinical work, and the long, demanding road required to move a promising biotechnology from the laboratory toward potential use in patients.
The conversation also explores entrepreneurship, raising capital, translating innovation into a commercially viable company, lessons learned through decades of building businesses, and what Lahjavida’s work says about the potential for life-sciences innovation to emerge from Colorado Springs.
It is a conversation about invention, persistence and the intersection of business and science—with potentially significant implications for the way cancer may someday be treated.

Beth Taylor, Executive Director of the Colorado APEX Accelerator joins host Dirk Hobbs on the organization's role in economic development in the State of Colorado, especially for our advanced industry sectors in national defense, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and more, and how they are uniquely positioned to help businesses large and small to learn and adopt government contract work into their overall business development strategy. 
 
According to their website: "We provide No Cost – High Value advice and assistance to Colorado Businesses. Colorado APEX Accelerator is dedicated to showing your company how to find, bid and win government contracts. Our team of specialists help make the contracting process clearer and easier so you can concentrate on pursuing opportunities."
 
To learn more, go to: https://www.coloradoapex.org/ 

What does it take to keep utility service reliable as Colorado Springs grows? Colorado Springs Utilities CEO Travas Deal joins Dirk Hobbs on The Business Signal for a wide-ranging conversation about the decisions behind customer bills and the infrastructure the region will need in the years ahead.
The discussion covers electric rates and fuel costs, the proposed 2027 budget, and how Utilities weighs reliability, affordability and growth when planning major investments. Hobbs and Deal also examine the proposed Williams Creek Generating Station, the demands of large power users, and the question of who pays when new capacity is needed.
Water is part of the equation, too. The episode turns to Colorado River uncertainty, local storage, conservation and the work required to protect the region’s long-term supply. For households and employers alike, this conversation offers a closer look at the choices shaping essential services in Southern Colorado.
Questions or Want to Understand Your Bill Better? 719.448.4800
Learn How CSU Serves El Paso County: https://csu.org 
 
#TheBusinessSignal #ColoradoSprings #SouthernColorado #Infrastructure #Business #ColoradoSpringsUtilities #Water #ColoradoRiverPack #NaturalGas #PowerGrid #Electricity #TravasDeal 

Building Business Through Relationships with Brandon Eldridge
Executive Director of the Small Business Development Center - Pikes Peak Region Brandon Eldridge joins host Dirk Hobbs on The Business Signal for a thoughtful conversation about entrepreneurship, leadership and the importance of building meaningful professional relationships.
Eldridge discusses lessons individuals and teams who aer aspiring to open a business can learn:
The value of connecting people with opportunities 
The importance of trust, service and consistent engagement
How the SBDC plays a role in vetting the business concept before spending time and resources
Connecting with area subject matter experts who can lend insights into how to prepare for the rigors of running a business.
The conversation also explores the realities of professional growth, developing an authentic leadership style and remaining open to the relationships and experiences that can shape a business career.
It is an engaging discussion for entrepreneurs, business leaders and professionals who understand that long-term success is rarely achieved alone—it is built through people, purpose and community.
LEARN MORE: https://sbdc.colorado.gov/pikespeak

Colorado Springs is at a consequential point in its economic development and Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer says the region must approach it with confidence, facts and intentional growth. In this episode of The Business Signal, the president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC joins host Dirk Hobbs to examine a number of active conversation and efforts in the community:
 
First out of the gate: The proposed Project Taurus data center, the safeguards surrounding it and what the City Council decision could signal to companies and site selectors considering the region. (9/17/2026)
The conversation widens to Colorado Springs’ competitive strengths on a national level: A highly educated workforce, a substantial veteran population, quality-of-life assets and a nationally significant aerospace and defense ecosystem. Kleymeyer explains how primary employers generate broader opportunity across construction, retail, healthcare, education and professional services - and why advanced manufacturing, space, national defense and support infrastructure remain central to the region’s future.
She also discusses retaining existing employers, reducing regulatory burdens, developing local talent, and investing ahead of growth.
Her closing challenge is direct: business leaders cannot remain on the sidelines. They must enter the arena, engage elected officials and help shape a region that grows intelligently while preserving what makes Southern Colorado exceptional. 
https://coloradospringschamberedc.com 

Join us as Angela Seals, Executive Director of the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region or COPPR, visits with host Dirk Hobbs on the region's creative industry sectors and how businesses can get involved to support our thriving talent. 
 
https://www.culturaloffice.org/

CommonSpirit Health Greater Colorado and Kansas Market President Pete Powers joins host Dirk Hobbs on the Business Signal for a candid conversation about the rapidly changing health care landscape across Southern Colorado.
Powers discusses CommonSpirit’s commitment to its southern Colorado regional hospitals, the importance of maintaining access to quality care, rural health access and the role of technology, and the realities of operating a complex health system amid rising costs, workforce pressures and growing community needs. He also addresses the role of Penrose, St. Francis and CommonSpirit’s other regional facilities, while explaining how the organization evaluates services, investments and opportunities for future growth.
The conversation moves beyond hospital operations to examine how CommonSpirit as a major health care systems can partner with southern Colorado employers directly to help lower overall costs for area organizations and their workforce. 
CommonSpirit is also a major regional employer, economic driver and essential community institution. Powers shares his leadership perspective and explains why trust and a clear sense of mission remain central to delivering effective care and maintaining strong relationships with physicians and other key strategic partnerships.
Listen for an informative discussion about where Southern Colorado health care stands - and where it may be headed next.
https://mountain.commonspirit.org
https://socodigest.com/#radio
Listen on SPOTIFY, iHEART and Apple Podcast: Search "Business Digest Radio".
#CommonSpirit, #healthcare #healthcarecosts #ruralhealth #kvorAM740 #SoCoBusinessDigest